The Man Who Has Been To 198 Countries Reveals His Best Travel Tips

There are some things you should never forget while traveling,
and I have discovered most of these the hard way by screwing up
myself - during my travels to 198 countries.

1. Download maps in advance

Before you travel, download the maps to your smartphone. This
will usually save you a lot of money in roaming charges,
especially if you travel to a new continent. The GPS in your
phone doesn't cost anything to use, but to download maps will you
have to pay for data traffic. You can always try to find a Wi-Fi
spot after arriving, but don't count on them being available for
free in or near the airport, the train station or at the bus
stop. Even if you find a spot, it will delay you when you should
instead spend time exploring a new gem of a place.

2. Scout out your transport options

Find out how to get from your point of arrival to wherever it is
you'll be going first. You may want to just take a taxi, but you
should find out in advance how much it should cost. There are
unfortunately a lot of "price-elastic" taxi drivers in many
countries, and their prices never flex the right way. There
are 11 reasons why I usually travel by public
transport when I can. Still insisting on going by
taxi? Don't forget this.

3. Make a note of the exchange rate

Find out what the exchange rate is before you go. How else are
you supposed to haggle?

4. Bring cash

You know the phrase. Cash is still king, never forget. While
Norway may be the odd exception, Zambia, Panama and Tuvalu certainly are not. The latter of those
do not even except any credit or debit cards. US dollars will
still create the biggest smiles in most countries, although Euros
are not too bad in countries with a European colonial past.

5. Split your cash
You will sometimes become involved in nasty situations. For
instance: a policeman, someone who poses like one, or other scam
artists may demand money. Have most of your money in one safe
pocket or purse, but always keep small notes in another pocket
for use in such situations. You can then empty that pocket and
lose only the small notes that are there.

6. Never show off stacks of cash or
valuables
Common sense, ain't it?

7. Print out tickets, schedule and contact
details

Some countries will not even let you through customs without a
printed return ticket, and certain airports won't let you enter
without your itinerary on paper. You will almost always need the
address of your hotel or final destination. You do, of course,
have it all on your tablet, smartphone or laptop, but flashing
any of those gadgets can attract unwanted interest. Don't expect
to pay a normal rate to a taxi driver after having shown him a
tablet that costs more than he makes in a year. Not to mention
there are limited charging options in many countries around the
world. Paper is king, especially in countries less
traveled.

8. Remember the right adapter

Few things are as annoying as not being able to recharge your
favourite gadget. Often the only thing between you and a
refreshingly green battery indicator and a new bragging photo on
Instagram is that tiny adapter. Do not assume that the country you are going to has
the same sockets or plugs as you do. Britain, the US,
Switzerland, Israel, China, South Africa and most of Oceania all
have different systems. The power plug is actually probably one
of the few things the French got right (said the Norwegian).

9. Back up everything

Do not under any circumstances bring the draft of your
groundbreaking novel, major thesis, proof of a mathematical
problem, or the newly-developed cancer cure without a backup at
home - or, better still, in the internet cloud. By
using Dropbox, Google Drive or something similar, you
will always have all your documents when and where you need them,
given that there is an internet connection wherever you end up.
If you do not have a backup, your computer is likely to be
stolen, Murphy said.

10. Use guidebooks to find out where not to
go
I hate guidebooks because they tend to guide people to exactly
the same sights, often even in the same order. That means that
service will get worse, prices will go up and you will be
surrounded by other tourists. If that is what you are looking
for, use guidebooks the way they are intended. If not, use
guidebooks to find out where not to go.

11. Dare to be impulsive
The more plans you make, the fewer of them you get to complete.
Dare to accept possibilities of trying something new, getting to
know someone new, tasting something new or taking part in
activities you had not planned or didn't even know existed.
Having to follow a schedule when I am on holiday is so not my
idea of relaxing. It is also the reason why I avoid tour guides
like the plague. Even in North Korea, where you are required to
have two guides by your side at all times I managed to find a
loophole to legally explore on my own.

12. Eat local food
Seriously! You didn't go all the way to Asia to eat western junk.
And worms are tasty too! At least they give you a slightly more
special story to tell at home than one that involves the words
big and mac.

13. Decide on who's boss
If you travel with someone with whom you can never agree, let
each of you be boss one day at a time. For fun, give the boss a
hat, a scarf, a ring, or a horrible pink shirt. The boss will
have limited powers, but should be able to pick restaurants,
activities, which route to take and other major minor details.
The other(s) should still be able to veto in extreme situations
if they really are not comfortable with the boss' decision.

14. Be humble
Yeah, I know you're a rich kid from New York, Paris or Seoul.
Does that make you cooler than me? Think about it: would you be
nice to someone who wasn't nice to you? Toning down any arrogance
is always wise. There is a possible exception if you find
yourself being conned.

15. Travel with hand luggage only
It is more flexible and relaxed. You'll never have to take a
specific oversized taxi or be banned from a metro or a bus
because of luggage that's too big. To travel light gives you more
control over the travel experience (8 other reasons).

16. Go to unusual spots
I find it intriguing that some people enjoy standing in lines on
vacation. Why else would you always travel to places that
everyone else goes at just that time of year? Inspiration here.

17. Trawl the web for cheap tickets
There are many ways to help you find cheaper
tickets. Some tips here.